Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 15 October 1990 from one or more of the following: raw data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews.

SYNOPSIS: Edward Rykoskey graduated from Carlisle High School in 1964, and joined the Marine Corps rather than wait to be drafted. The second year of his enlistment was to be spent in Vietnam, where he was shipped early in 1966.

On August 18, 1966, with four months of his tour left, Edward served as the radio man for a reconnaissance patrol consisting of four men which went out in the Da Nang area. Returning to Da Nang, the patrol was ambushed. Three men survived, and reported that Edward Rykoskey did not. Search parties were sent out to find Rykoskey's body, but after three or four days, they stopped looking.

Edward was originally classified Killed In Action, status changed to Missing In Action, and later back to Killed in Action.

Whether Rykoskey lived or died that day in August 1966 will not be known for certain until there is proof positive of his death or survival. The U.S. and the Vietnamese have yet to determine the formula which would successfully resolve the questions that linger about the nearly 2500 Americans who did not return from the war in Vietnam.

Tragically, there have been over 10,000 reports received concerning
Americans still alive in Southeast Asia, many in captivity. While the rest of America tries to forget the war in Vietnam, these men, and their friends and families cannot.

We must bring them home. They are America's sons!

I adopted this Angel to help look over Edward, wherever he may be. I thought it appropriate, since the "Adopt A Guardian Angel" program states... "Till the last child is returned home safely, there can not be peace in our hearts!"... I thought that suits the POW/MIA cause too! *S*

Please help support the 'Adopt A Guardian Angel' program.
By doing so you are virtually taking the hand of a neighbor and joining
us in creating a never ending circle around the world that will empower
us to stand up and be the voice for all children of this planet! Show
them we care enough to make a difference! In reality, by displaying this
link back to our site you are helping us to meet our goal of creating
awareness, education, recognition, prevention and intervention and that
is the first real step towards breaking the cycle of abuse and stopping
all forms of maltreatment!